Can redirected asteroids be used to trigger the deployed seismic experiment?

[THX1138]

I have a contract to obtain 50% seismic sensor science on the Mun. This was pretty easy to achieve on Minmus with very small craft but the Mun seems to demand much, much larger craft. I was wondering whether deorbiting an asteroid would work. I already have one from another contract and I have enough fuel in my re-direction craft that I think I can smash the thing into the Mun and hopefully break that stupid seismic sensor. I was hoping someone could tell me whether this would register on the experiment before I go through the trouble.

Edited August 25, 2019 by THX1138

[Cavscout74]

I don't know why it wouldn't, but I've never actually tried - or even thought about that.  I know what I'm doing tomorrow though....

[AHHans]

Only one way to be sure: give it a try.
(But I would be rather surprised if it didn't work.)

I also don't know if getting 100% seismic science on the Mun is per se harder than on Minmus. What is harder is to hit close to your deployed seismic sensor, and because distance plays a role in the amount of seismic science you get that will make it harder. Another issue is that the craft (or parts of it) need to be destroyed by the crash. I guess you are not planning to soft land the asteroid, but it can become an issue if the crashing craft (or asteroid) is outside physics distance. I believe (I haven't really tested it) that on planets or moons without an atmosphere it is not much of a problem, but on planets with an atmosphere your impactor can be deleted without triggering the seismic sensor.

[THX1138]

1 hour ago, AHHans said:

Only one way to be sure: give it a try.
(But I would be rather surprised if it didn't work.)

I also don't know if getting 100% seismic science on the Mun is per se harder than on Minmus. What is harder is to hit close to your deployed seismic sensor, and because distance plays a role in the amount of seismic science you get that will make it harder. Another issue is that the craft (or parts of it) need to be destroyed by the crash. I guess you are not planning to soft land the asteroid, but it can become an issue if the crashing craft (or asteroid) is outside physics distance. I believe (I haven't really tested it) that on planets or moons without an atmosphere it is not much of a problem, but on planets with an atmosphere your impactor can be deleted without triggering the seismic sensor.

 

Crash landing within 500 m of my target on the Mun is easy; it's probably been even less than 300 m. Nonetheless, with a >30 ton craft, I only got 5% science whereas Minmus I could get the same with <0.5 ton.

[THX1138]

Unbelievable... 58 ton asteroid crashed <300 m from target at >300 m/s and I got 5% of science data. I'm not sure the mass of the asteroid contributed anything.

 

 

[AHHans]

4 hours ago, THX1138 said:

Unbelievable... 58 ton asteroid crashed <300 m from target at >300 m/s and I got 5% of science data.

O.K. Strange. The only other issue that I can think of is that the seismometers on Mun and Minmus have different science rates (i.e. that the one on the Mun was installed by a lower level scientist).

Hmmm... now that I think about it: I don't recall it being an issue getting 100% deployed seismic science from the Mun in my current career playthrough. On the other hand that was still with 1.7.2. I had problems with Duna: the atmosphere slowed down all the empty tanks and other trash that I was throwing at it, so I had to send a dedicated (and streamlined) impactor.